Thanksgiving Burgers

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday; as long as you avoid the Black Friday madness, it's one of the few holidays that are really centered around family and NOT consumerism. The huge meal full of comfort food doesn't hurt either.

This year, I have much to be thankful for, and I have to add Rachael Ray's Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf Burger to that list (and Juliann, from whom I got this recipe!). When it's April and you're craving a Thanksgiving meal but don't want to do the work, this is a pretty great alternative!

This burgers were perhaps the most delicious and flavorful patties I've had in a really long time. I had one leftover, and it was so good that I didn't even eat it on any bread. I just warmed it up and ate it. Heavenly!

I served them with sweet potato fries in an effort to be as Thanksgiving-y as possible.


(I probably should have remembered to take a photo BEFORE putting the top bun on the burger, huh...)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 small mcintosh apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small rib celery, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ground dark-meat turkey
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (about 2/3 palmful)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
• Sliced sharp white cheddar, for topping
• 1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 4 large sandwich-size sourdough English muffins, split and toasted
• 4 thin slices red onion
• 4 leaves red-leaf or red romaine lettuce

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to melt, then add the apple, onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, then transfer to a bowl to cool; reserve the skillet. Mix in the turkey, egg, parsley, mustard and poultry seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Form into four 4-inch patties.

Wipe out the reserved skillet and add a liberal drizzle of EVOO. Warm over medium-high heat, add the patties and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Top with the cheddar during the last minute.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cranberry sauce, sour cream and chives.

Serve the patties on the English muffins with the onion, lettuce and cranberry-sour cream sauce.